Being a misunderstood teenager or young adult is hard enough in Normal Times, so imagine how challenging it must be to face the insecurities of that phase when the world around you seems to be crumbling. That sometimes paralyzing, sometimes inciting anxiety is one of the inspirations behind “LO$ER=LO♡ER,” TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s latest single.    

The catchy emo-pop-punk-inspired track tells the story of a “loser” who wants to become a hero and a “lover” to his significant other. It also explores the struggle to balance the pursuit of financial security with one’s own happiness and love – after all, what’s the point of having the former without the latter? “Lover with a dollar sign is a ‘lo$er,’” the band sings.

In the accompanying music video, Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai perform together on the back of a moving truck and in separate scenes – Soobin enjoys fries at a diner, Yeonjun flees a bank with a bag full of cash, Beomgyu does a livestream in a bedroom covered by rock band posters, Taehyun skateboards at a bowl ramp, and Hueningkai works at a café.

Some of the clips are filmed to convey a “POV” situation and, in many of them, the members interact with an unidentified date with whom they escape and have cute, fun moments. Though there’s a prevailing idea of romantic love, familial love (or perhaps the lack thereof) is also illustrated when Beomgyu is yelled at by his fictional father, for example.

The video, which was directed by HyeWon Koo, also known as Guzza, is filled with references to big silver screen hits: Taehyun wears a cast with “LOSER” written on it, which, just like Eddie’s in 2017’s IT, is then turned to “LOVER” with the help of a red marker; the final scene is a direct nod to Thelma & Louise’s closing act. 

[#오늘의TXT] 210817 #투모로우바이투게더 의 메세지 ? #MOA 이번 앨범도 많이 사랑해주세요?? @ Media Showcase pic.twitter.com/S0HOhp4Kl5

— TXT OFFICIAL (@TXT_bighit) August 17, 2021

“LO$ER=LO♡ER” is the opener for TXT’s latest album, The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE, which also dropped on Tuesday. The new repackage album is an extended version of The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE, which was released in May, and closes off the band’s “Chaos Chapter” series, depicting “a world in which their dreams have been swept away by the towering presence of reality.” To overcome the feelings of insignificance, emptiness, and being frozen, the main character needs the other person to awaken the “love” inside him – and then, together, “fight” against this reality or “escape” to another place. 

In addition to “LO$ER=LO♡ER,” the new album also features two other new tracks, the fan-dedicated song “MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari)” and an emocore remix of “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)” featuring Seori. According to Big Hit Music, The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE recorded over 560,000 pre-order copies. 

Watch the full video for “LO$ER=LO♡ER” below: